I sat on the dock overlooking the fresh water lake each day watching the ahingas. They are cousins to the cormorant and pelican, sometimes called “snakebird” as they swim submerged except for their heads above the water. Their feathers aren’t waterproof like ducks, so they open and dry their wings off before being able to take flight. There’s a lot of silent standing, occasional diving, gliding and wing drying….but mostly just standing there facing the light.

Thanks Carolin. I was taking note at how the ahingas simply stood… taking it all in. Living in the different worlds of air and water. Exactly…pausing and drying their wings in the space in between. Smart birds!
Sometimes words just appear….like “viscous”. Poetry is like that. You know they’re right and the whole poem opens up….